openflync

I have to agree with the OP. I just completed my first LAX rental in about 6 months and the ES selection was pretty bad. Mainly Nissan Altimas and Kia Opti something or other

Not even a single SUV on the aisle this time.

I must have been there about 7 or 8 times in 2008 and the current selection was absolutely spartan.

Tuneman1984

Picked up a National car today, and it was exactly the type of experience I'd expect as an Exec Elite.

I showed up early even, with a midsize booked. While I wasn't offered a choice, I was given a Sebring. I heard the folks next to me (non-EC renters) be offered the remaining midsize choices, Caliber or PT Cruiser. So in my book, my agent had picked the best option out of the three for me. Like I've said before, I don't stomp and whine when I don't get a Cadillac for $31 all-in. I just like to see the agents putting some thought into how they conduct my rental. Not just blindly picking a set of keys for whomever comes in and following scripts like the robots at Pearson Airport do.

Good job National! ^

s3n

I'd say its always cheaper to not rent the car.

I may not fully understand what you're saying, but a rental car company's costing structure is very different from that of an individual car owner, as you need to take fleet sales, re-sales, servicing, and the like into consideration when comparing rental rates to depreciation. Since National's target clientele is business travelers, I always figured that any cheap week-end or even weekly rates they offer reflect more of a cost recovery measure rather than a true reflection of their costs of carrying that vehicle. I'm sure they make up for those cheap rates with revenues from last-minute, mid-week business account renters. It makes me feel that as a predominantly weekend-only National customer, I'm getting a bit of a "free ride" on their business accounts.

Akulashark

Walked out in the Executive Aisle lot yesterday in SJC. KIAs, Nissans, Mini-Vans. One Mustang, one Mitsu Eclipse, one Charger. I grabbed the keys for the mustang and opened the trunk. The spare tire bolt was sticking up in the middle of the floor and the lamp for the trunk fell out of the trunk lid.

I grabbed the eclipse and hit 101. The cruise doesn't work. Answering the OPs question, yes.

geojet01

So I've just come back from a trip to find that National's reps here have now gone beyond the claim that "rates haven't gone up in 25 years" to suggest that rates have actually even plunged over the past decade.

Sorry, but I'm really not buying this one. Are you suggesting there were no $10-11-12/day cars to be had back in '98? I distinctly remember renting WEEKLY at less than $90 in some markets, and not at the weekend rates that you're obviously comparing now. It's misleading to mix "average cost per day" at $35 with a $10/day WEEKEND rate that's nowhere near average now, isn't it? (And correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm not even aware that National's been offering a $10/day weekend rate -- wasn't that under the Alamo label?)

Actually, I think there are anchovies on this pizza, 'cuz it smells fishy to me...

You're comparing lug nuts to walnuts, conveniently leaving out of this equation the competition and volume that are such a huge part of the car rental industry. Frankly, I don't know of anybody who rents a lawnmower, and if there is a market for that, I'm fairly certain it's tiny -- so of course it's going to be more expensive. And last time I checked, there weren't Hertz, Avis, National, Alamo, Enterprise, Budget, Dollar and a whole host of similarly branded jetski counters at lakeside for that specialized market.

I will concede this: The latest Last Minute Special list looks a lot more reasonable across the board this week. At least all the Southern California locations have finally dropped their weekly rentals off the list entirely and stopped touting those outrageous $400 "specials." So that's at least a small nod toward truth in marketing.

I'm also somewhat happier with the selection and pricing I've been encountering as a National customer in the past few weeks. Let me stress again that I'm pragmatic about this: I can stomach rate increases at a reasonable level. It's the double and triple ones that set me off. I remain a relatively satisfied National fan, if not a fanatic, and I understand and fully appreciate the economic pressures we're all struggling with.

FlyerTalker93851

Someone took their too many Serious Pills this morning before their wrote their post....

I never said the rates had held steady or had held consitently at the 11-12 dollar range. Yes I have seen rates higher...but I saw them higher "back in the day too"...but that's when untilization of fleet is higher. If there are plenty of cars, the rates are low, when there aren't many cars...the rates are high...same story with any rental car brand...anywhere.
But I have seen MORE Lower rates in the past few years than I ever did "back in the day"...but that could be due to changes in the economy and the fact that we had more cars sitting than we had on the road....but buying habits for the fleet have begun to change...therefore utilization is higher...keeping prices higher.
As I said before, that's similar to hotels and flight pricing. Hotels can't limit their rooms...they don't change the number of rooms they have, however the airlines can defleet and offer fewer flights to keep planes full.

The other comments were more "tongue-in-cheek" than anything but the comments I get from customers are real. My comments were made to make people more appreciate how low some car rates have become in some instances. Even a $20 per day rate is low considering the average purchase price of a vehicle is Over $25000...and most people spend more time in their rental car than they do in their hotel room...not counting the time they are asleep. For many people the car is very important because I will see them wander around the lot for 30 mins trying to choose a car, even if it's for a one day rental. It's not just wheels to get from here to there. Aparently it has significant value to them.
So the price per day is relative. Of course we want our rentals, hotel rooms and flights for as cheap as we can get them, but they do have significant value...in all cases.
I make the Pizza and Jet-ski comments to make people laugh, pure and simple. And they do. Mostly just the Pizza comment.
I'm not the type trying to get every last drop of money out of your wallet for your rental car. I listen to my customers needs...and if I'm talking to a less than 5 ft person you can be sure I'm not gonna offer them a DTS on a 5 hr rental when they are traveling alone...unless they think a power seat will boost them higher in the seat and give them greater comfort...or they are thinking of buying one and they want to try one while they are here.

Rates change hourly in every market every day with every company. They will continue to do so. Everyone is becoming saavy shoppers when it comes to rental cars. The internet has become the tool for that. It's confused a lot of people along the way too. The one thing I wish people would do is Read the Fine print...it's there for a reason. You can't by-pass it anymore. Or you could end up very angry at time of rental.

calguy77

Just to address why over the past month the Exec Aisle at LAX has been pretty crappy, I rented a car the first week of April and talked to the agent near the EA and he said that its spring break.

In February I rented a car and they had a great selection SUV's, Crossovers, Mustangs, Convertibles, even a couple Jeep Wrangles with soft cloth tops to remove.

Spring break runs March-April and since many people stayed out of Mexico because of the drug cartel problems, LA was extremely busy.

so check back at a slower time.